SAN MARCOS (May 20, 2013) – The Palomar College Television (PCTV) and Radio and Television (RTV) programs are finishing out the school year with an impressive list of nominations and awards.

The Pacific Southwest Emmy nominations, announced recently, include five nominations for PCTV productions and seven for RTV productions. In addition, a documentary about endangered sea otters produced by Palomar College Television (PCTV) was nominated for Best Documentary at the Fallbrook Film Festival and accepted to the American Documentary Film Festival. Also, students associated with the Palomar College radio station KKSM earned four Communicator Awards from the International Academy of Visual Arts.

Assistant Professor of Life Science Lesley Blankenship-Williams commented on the PCTV documentary, which was created for her online Marine Mammals course. “Bill Wisneski and the Palomar College TV Center have done an extraordinary job accurately conveying the complex challenges that continually threaten our coast’s sensitive California sea otter population. This documentary is the cornerstone to Palomar’s Biology of Marine Mammals curriculum; students learn how human populations and the unique biology of marine mammals both shape and constrain the controversial conservation efforts to save this adorable species. Given the complexity of the topic, I am astonished by the depth of content and enrichment students absorb from this expertly produced documentary.”

SAN MARCOS (May 17) — Palomar College has received two Pacific Southwest Emmy nominations for the documentary Nature’s Cathedral: The Geology of Yosemite, produced by the College’s Educational Television Department (PCTV). The 2012 Emmy nominations were announced recently at Anthology in San Diego. PCTV Producer Bill Wisneski was nominated for photography, along with Production Coordinator Mona Witherington. Editor Jonathan Keena was nominated for Animation/Graphic Design.

The documentary was created in collaboration with Palomar College Earth Sciences Professor Patty Deen for her Geology of National Parks course.

“Bill’s vision for this documentary was truly extraordinary” commented Deen. “He and the rest of the team were able to weave together the scientific aspects of the geology with the remarkable beauty that is Yosemite. I have received great feedback about it from students and colleagues. It’s a valuable tool for education in the classroom.”

“This tremendous honor is a result of all the talented staff, students, and faculty who worked tirelessly on this project,” said Wisneski. “We are thrilled about the accolades the documentary has received and the impact it has had on students here at Palomar”.

Nature’s Cathedral: The Geology of Yosemite will air on PCTV Cox/Time Warner channel 16 at 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on May 16, 19, 23 and 26. It can also be viewed online at www.palomar-tv.com

The 38th Annual Emmy awards will be presented at the La Costa Resort in Carlsbad on Saturday, June 16.

SAN MARCOS (July 8, 2010) – Palomar College Television (PCTV) Producer Bill Wisneski won an Emmy last month for producing the documentary, Circle of Life: The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Wisneski received the award, his third Emmy win, at the 36th Annual Pacific Southwest Emmy Awards event on June 26 at the Hard Rock Hotel in downtown San Diego.

The Emmy Awards recognize outstanding achievements in television by conferring annual awards of merit in the Pacific Southwest region, which includes San Diego, Bakersfield, Palm Springs, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Santa Maria, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada.

“I feel very fortunate to have received this award – it’s a huge honor,” Wisneski said. “This recognition is a result of the tireless efforts of everyone who worked on this project and I share the Emmy with them.”

The documentary was created in collaboration with Palomar College Life Sciences professor Dan Sourbeer, who uses the video in his Ecosystem Biology (Biology 114) class. Sourbeer said, “I am extremely proud to be associated with this Emmy Award-winning video production. The photographs and video, shot almost entirely while accompanying my Biology 114 class lab in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, combined with an original script, resulted in an educational product that rivals anything seen on commercial television. Congratulations to Bill Wisneski and the entire Palomar College Television staff, as well as the administrators who worked to make this production possible.” The documentary may be viewed from a link on the PCTV website, www.palomar-tv.com.

SAN MARCOS (May 6, 2010) – Palomar College has received three Pacific Southwest Emmy nominations for the documentary Circle of Life: The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, produced by theCollege’s Educational Television Department (PCTV). The 2010 Emmy nominations were announced recently at the House of Blues in San Diego. PCTV Producer Bill Wisneski was nominated for photography and producing the documentary and former Palomar student Paul Baker was nominated for editing the project.

The documentary was created in collaboration with Palomar College Life Sciences professor Dan Sourbeer as part of a 32-module online instructional video series.

“It was a tremendous privilege to work with such a talented group on this project,” Sourbeer commented. “Feedback has been very enthusiastic from both students and the community-at-large. I am extremely pleased with the result, and hope everyone involved is as proud as I am. It will not only educate, but also promote the desire to protect this remarkable place.”

“The recognition the documentary is receiving is a direct result of the hard work by the staff and students who contributed to it,” Wisneski said. “The ten Emmy nominations our department has received in the last seven years are a reflection of the quality of the educational programming produced for Palomar students.”

Circle of Life: The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem will air county-wide on the PCTV Cox/Time Warner channel 16 at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 9, 16, and 23.

The 36th Annual Emmy awards will be presented at the Hard Rock Hotel in downtown San Diego on Saturday, June 26.